Israeli warplanes early Friday struck two targets in southern Gaza Strip causing severe damage but no reported injuries, Islamic Hamas movement security sources and witnesses said, dpa reported.
The sources said that the F16 plane dropped two missiles on what was described as a local oxygen factory that serves hospitals in the town of al-Garara, north-east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis.
Witnesses described huge flames coming out of the factory, which they said was badly damaged. Firefighters put out the fire, and did not report any injuries.
Hamas security forces which control the Gaza Strip prevented journalists and residents from approaching the scene, indicating that the factory may belong to the Hamas movement, witnesses said.
The airstrike came shortly after another airstrike on one of the tunnels used for smuggling under the border between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt. No injuries were reported.
The two airstrikes came several hours after the radical Jihadi Salafists (Moslem Sunni) group claimed responsibility for firing a homemade rocket from Gaza at southern Israel. The rocket hit an Israeli house, causing damage but no injuries.
"The Ansar al-Sunna Brigades is responsible for firing a rocket called 'Khaibar' in response to the Zionist violations against al- Aqsa Mosque and the other Islamic shrines in Palestine," said the group in a leaflet sent to reporters.
Rocket attacks on Israel had declined since last winter's Israeli- Gaza conflict. The December 2008 - January 2009 conflict killed 1,400 Palestinians and nine Israelis, and caused extensive destruction in Gaza, according to reports filed with the United Nations.